Institute

Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

At the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry researchers are on the trail of the cellular and molecular processes that control complex life processes. The scientists work at the interface between biology, chemistry and physics to develop increasingly sophisticated techniques to obtain insight into the world of the molecules. With the help of high-resolution microscopes, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, electron microscopes and ultrahigh-performance computers they investigate cells, organelles and proteins. Their aim is to find out the tricks that cells and biomolecules use to fulfil their varied functions – whether processing signals, transporting molecular freight or generating blueprints for protein production. Moreover, they study how genes control development and behaviour – for example, how a complex organism develops from a single egg cell or how our body clock “ticks”.